Brookepaw's Destiny
by Mossystar102
Summary: (Warning: Lots of blood and death) When Scarclan comes to the forest and attacks Dawnclan on the night of the Gathering, Brookepaw's clan, Forestclan, comes to their aid. Brookepaw gets wrapped up in the destiny of Scarclan, and only she can make things right.
1. Chapter 1: The Unlucky Gathering

"Foxnose, Sunleaf, Birdleg, Silvertail, Cloudstripe, Willowsong, Thunderfoot, Whitepebble, Sparrowflight, Tinywhisker, Kinkpelt, Bouncefoot, Brackentooth, Tallheart, Branchpaw, Mosspaw, Acornpaw, Brookepaw, Mallowstem, and Spottpaw will come to the gathering. Mistpelt, you're in charge. I want you to have two guards at all times. Make sure Lightningfoot and her kits are well protected. You can never be too careful with this Scarclan around now." Oakstar, the leader of Forestclan called to his clan.

"Oakstar, how would any clan attack us? We live in trees!" The voice of Blackkit rang through the camp.

"Blackkit! Get back here!" Lightningfoot hurried her kit into a hollow in a tree. Ten different trees made up the Forestclan camp.

"We should get going. Forestclan, to me!" Oakstar yowled.

He took off, jumping from branch to branch as if he was a bird flitting around. Many cats followed him, but some stayed back to defend the camp, just in case.

"Silvertail, will Scarclan come to the gathering, like they did last moon?" I asked a cream and gold she cat.

"I don't think so, Brookepaw. They only showed up to, ah, _introduce _themselves." She replied.

"Good." I puffed. "I don't like them. One brown apprentice flashed his claws at me, and a scarlet apprentice called me a kittypet. I'm not a _Kittypet! _They're a bunch of fox hearts!" I looked up and was surprised to see the gathering place just ahead. The gathering place was a small clearing surrounded by trees. A small river went through the edge, coming from Waterclan's territory. There was a bunch of small rabbit holes coming from Darkclan's territory. There was a giant tree stump at one edge, facing Dawnclan's territory. That was where the clan leaders sat. As the Forestclan cats took their place on the lowest branches in the trees, the Waterclan cats swam up the river and climbed onto rocks in the middle of the swirling water. The Darkclan cats were already here, peering out of the rabbit holes and sitting beside them. Featherstar, the Darkclan leader, was sitting on the tree stump, his tail flicking impatiently. Gorgestar, the Waterclan leader, was clambering out of the river, shaking water out of his pelt and heading towards the stump. Oakstar jumped out of the trees and padded to the stump confidently. I felt proud. Oakstar was my leader, and he was a good one. The Meadowclan leader was Fallowstar. She was the newest leader. She was already on the stump.

"Has anyone seen Dawnclan? I know they aren't exactly night cats, but this is ridiculous." I heard Gorgestar mutter to the other leaders.

Suddenly, a yowl ran through the still night.

"Help! Dawnclan is being attacked!" The Dawnclan deputy, Snowflare, ran into the clearing, blood dripping from her pelt. "Scarclan is attacking!"

"We cannot afford to lose any warriors. Dawnclan is without Waterclan's help!" Gorgestar meowed. "Waterclan, head home!" He raced to the river and plunged in.

Snowflare looked at the other leaders pleadingly. "Please! Dawnclan will perish in the hands of Scarclan!"

Featherstar stood up. "Darkclan will help. Scarclan is an enemy to every clan. Will Meadowclan help?"

Fallowstar looked daunted by the cats staring at her. "My clan has had some trouble, lately. The rabbits were too fast. We cannot help Dawnclan. I am sorry." She looked at Oakstar.

"Forestclan will fight!" He shouted into the night. He turned to Snowflare. "Lead us to your camp."

The full moon shone above us. Wisps of cloud were covering it. _Starclan does not approve of Scarclan's ambush. _I thought. I felt my paws tingle. I stood up and looked around.

"Brookepaw!" I heard my mentor call me. "Follow me closely!"

"Yes, Silvertail!" I raced through the trees following Silvertail.

_The battle is about to begin, _I thought.


	2. Chapter 2: A Fateful Decision

As I neared the Dawnclan camp, I heard terrible screeches coming from it. One sounded particularly horrid.

"Was that Scarstar screeching a battle cry?" I asked Silvertail.

"I don't know. We're nearing the camp. Ready to do the Tail-hold Branch-drop?" She answered.

"Yes." I scanned the trees surrounding the camp looking for a good branch.

"I found a branch!" I jumped to the branch I spotted and waited for an enemy to go by. I watched as a scarlet tom with red eyes walked over to my tree and sat down, licking his bloodstained paws.

"Those Dawnclan cats fight like mice." He muttered.

I turned to Silvertail. She nodded. I let her grasp my tail in her mouth, carefully using her dullest teeth. When she was secure, I dropped silently. The Scarclan cat never saw it coming. I clawed his ears and Silvertail tugged me back on the branch. The tom jumped up and looked at us.

"Nobody gets the better of Antstorm!" He shrieked, and he started climbing the tree. I looked at Silvertail. We shot up the tree, heading for the thinner branches.

_Forestclan cats are made to climb in even the thinnest branches,_ I thought. I climbed onto a thin but sturdy branch and waited.

"We should do the Branch-Jump." I told Silvertail.

"No, that won't work. We risk snapping the branches. These ones are too thin right here. Let's do the Swing- Drop. You get his back, I'll get his head." She tensed her muscles, ready to jump.

"You think you can beat me by climbing on thin branches?" The Scarclan tom, Antstorm, yowled.

"Of course not!" Silvertail meowed back and jumped. I jumped after, swinging on a branch and landing on Antstorm's back. I jumped immediately off, using his back as a spring. As I pulled myself up another branch, I watched Antstorm fall. He hit many branches as they got thicker and stronger, and finally he hit the ground, beaten and bloodied.

"Is he dead? He dropped from pretty high up." I asked. Normally the Swing-Drop was used while the enemy was still on the ground, so the enemy didn't fall to their death. This was an exception, of course.

"I have no idea." Silvertail made her way to the bottom branch, with me following. When I finally got close enough to see, I could tell he was dead. He had a dull look in his eyes, and his chest wasn't moving.

"He _is _dead!" I meowed. I stepped away as blood started trickling from his left ear.

"We should get away _now._" Silvertail turned and was tackled by another Scarclan cat. The cat was scarlet with dim yellow eyes. He looked like an apprentice. I was about to help her when I was ambushed by another cat. I only had time to glimpse Silvertail rake her claws across the Scarclan apprentice's forehead. I turned and immediately recognized the Scarclan apprentice Stormpaw. He narrowed his eyes. Suddenly I felt a searing pain on my ear. I lashed out and felt my claws tear skin. Blood surged from the gash on his belly. Stormpaw jumped onto my back and pushed me onto my stomach.

_I have to get to a tree,_ I thought. _Or else I'm done for._

I made myself relax, my heartbeat returning to normal; even though Stormpaw was tearing up my ears. He relaxed too, and I jumped up. I ran towards the nearest tree and jumped onto the bottom branch. Stormpaw saw me and started climbing. Without thinking, I grabbed the branch above me and pulled myself up. I jumped at Stormpaw and grabbed his scruff in my teeth. I pulled away and I heard claws scraping bark. I landed on the ground and immediately streaked up the tree again.

"Trees aren't going to save you!" He yowled and streaked up the tree after me.

I turned as he reached the branch I was on. He lunged at me, and I jumped up, reaching for the branch above me with my forepaws. I tugged myself up. I looked down and saw Stormpaw holding onto the tip of the branch. I watched as one of his paws slipped, wrenching out one claw. Suddenly the branch snapped, and I jumped onto the unbroken part. I reached down and grabbed his scruff in my teeth. I tugged him up on the branch.

"You saved me! Why?" He looked at me.

"I-I don't know." I stared back.

"I like you, Brookepaw. I do."

"How do you know my name?"

"That doesn't matter. Meet me at the gathering place tomorrow on the No-Moon, at midnight."

"Ok." I breathed. I turned and jumped to the next tree, and then the next. I looked back and saw Stormpaw looking at me sadly. _Why did I agree to meet him?_

...

"Scarclan, retreat!" Scarclan streamed through the trees, leaving trails of blood. I saw bodies lying on the ground. They were both my enemy and my allies. I saw one Scarclan cat struggling to get up, and I felt a surge of anger and, somehow, pity. _These cats don't even help their injured!_ I looked around again, and I saw the motionless body of a familiar brown tom. Then I realized who it was. It was Oakstar. Oakstar was dead!


	3. Chapter 3: Fresh Grief

**Chapter 3**

_"Oakstar! Oakstar is dead!"_ A yowl rang through the trees. First I wondered who did it. Then I realized _I _did. I watched as cats gathered around his body. Foxnose walked up to Scarletstar, the Dawnclan leader.

"We fought together and were victorious. Now we must return home and mourn the loss of our clanmates. May Starclan walk in your path." He turned to his clan. "Sunleaf, Birdleg, Silvertail, Cloudstripe, Brookepaw, Branchpaw, and Mosspaw, I want you to gather our dead clanmates' bodies. Willowsong, Whitepebble, Tinywhisker, I want you to help the most injured back to camp. Brackentooth and Acornpaw, do whatever you can to help."

I felt a nudge on my shoulder. I looked over and saw Silvertail.

"Come on, Brookepaw."

"I can't."

"Yes you can." Silvertail rested her tail on my shoulder.

"But Oakstar is dead!"

"Yes, but in the spirit of Oakstar a new leader will rise. Foxstar will be a good leader."

"I can't be the one of the first cats to see our dead clanmates. I just can't." I looked at Silvertail. She leaned down and licked my shoulder.

"Brookepaw. Honor our deceased clanmates. Think that they died defending their clanmates and the warrior code, instead of thinking they died at the hands of bloodthirsty enemies."

I sighed. "Ok."

"Good"

We walked around, looking. After a little bit of searching, we found Sparrowflight. Her neck was ripped open, still spilling blood.

"Sparrowflight!" Cloudstripe ran to his sister's body. "Whoever did this to you will pay!" He grabbed her scruff in his jaws, tears streaming down his face, wetting the dried blood, making her fur red. Silvertail went over to help him, but Cloudstripe growled and shrugged her away. "I will carry her alone." Silvertail nodded. I understood his pain. Sort of. Sparrowflight was his only littermate, and their mother died giving birth to them. Not long after they were born their father died of greencough. They only had themselves for reassurance, instead of their parents. I also knew that Cloudstripe's old mentor, Riverleaf, died not long before me and my brother, Acornpaw, were born.

"Come on, Brookepaw." I looked around in surprise. I had been so caught up in my thoughts I hadn't noticed the group had moved ahead. I trudged forward next to Silvertail. The wounds on my ears stung like crazy. I wavered on my feet. I was too busy trying to stay calm that I tripped over a bloody lump of fur. The group walked on, unaware that I had stopped. I looked at the body. There was something familiar about it. I peered closer and gasped. It was Tallheart, Foxnose's brother.

"Silvertail! Come quickly!" Silvertail and the patrol whipped around and crowded around Tallheart.

"Foxnose will be upset." Birdleg stared sadly. They were only three moons apart, so they shared dens most their life. Sunleaf and Birdleg hoisted him up on their shoulders.

I walked slowly, at the back of the patrol. I didn't want to see another dead clanmate ever again.

"Kinkpelt? Is that you?" Branchpaw's meow rang through the trees. I ran ahead, captivated by his mew. I jumped over a log and landed almost on Branchpaw.

He was staring at his mentor. I looked at Kinkpelt. She was lying on the ground, a large gash in her stomach. She was bleeding to death, I realized. She wasn't dead yet.

Suddenly Branchpaw looked at me. "Do something! Get Mallowstem and Spottpaw!" The anguish in his eyes broke my heart.

"No, Branchpaw. Nothing will save me. Just remember..." Kinkpelt's eyes rolled into her head.

"Branchpaw. She's dead." I looked at him. He was nuzzling Kinkpelt's fur.

"Kinkpelt...wake up...get up... I'll bring you to Mallowstem. She'll fix you up...c'mon... wake up..." He gathered her in his paws. Then I remembered that when his mother couldn't give him enough milk when he was a kit, Kinkpelt fed him. She was not only his mentor, but his second mother.

_"Branchpaw. Do not worry. I'll be watching you from Starclan." _I gasped. That was Kinkpelt!

Branchpaw let out fresh sobs. He looked at me. "Will you help me bring her home? We can't leave her here."

"Of course." I grabbed Kinkpelt's scruff in my mouth. Her gray and brown fur brushed against my nose and made me sneeze.

...

"Oakstar, Kinkpelt, Tallheart, and Sparrowflight will be missed. We will sit vigil for them tonight. Scarclan had better watch their backs!" Foxnose was giving a speech. Tonight he would go to the Moonpool to receive his leader name, Foxstar. The Moonpool is a cave with tons of tiny holes in the roof. The stars and moon shine through the holes, making the floor of the cave look like the sky. In the middle of the cave is a rock that is the shape of a cat. The light going through the roof of the cave hits the rock, and makes the impression of a cat with stars in its fur. Otherwise, a Starclan cat. The Moonpool is where clan cats visit our ancestors.

"Brookepaw! Did you hear me?" Silvertail batted my ear.

"What?" I meowed.

"I said," Silvertail looked at me. "You should get your scratches checked by Mallowstem and Spottpaw."

I nodded. "You should too. That bite on your tail doesn't look so good."

I padded towards the medicine den, where Mallowstem and Spottpaw were working feverishly. Spottpaw saw me and jumped from the branch where she was perched, gathering cobwebs.

"I'll see you in a moment." She said through the cobwebs. Her voice was muffled.

I watched her pad to the end of the branch and jump onto another, thicker branch. I noticed that many mossy nests were there, filled with cats who were too injured to stand. For the first time a thought occurred to me. _How do injured cats get all the way up here? _I thought. _Our camp is several badger lengths up._

"Brookepaw! Are you listening to me? I asked you where your wounds were worst!" Spottpaw flicked her tail across my nose.

"Huh? Oh! Can you clean up my ears? They sting like crazy."

Spottpaw set down a bundle of herbs. She extracted some prickly green needles. "Of course. These are midnight pine needles. The sap will help sooth your ears. And this "She pulled a golden leaf out of the pile. "Is goldenleaf. It will help close those scratches."

I sat quietly as Spottpaw applied herbs to my bites and scratches.

"You're good to go. Just don't scuffle around." She narrowed her eyes at me.

"Yes." I walked slowly to the apprentices' branch. I jumped up into my nest. The branch it was in was hollowed out, so cats couldn't fall out and tumble to the ground. I curled up into my nest and closed my eyes.

Darkness danced in front of my eyes.

I thought of one name:_ Stormpaw._


	4. Chapter 4: Author's Note

Ok. Two things. One, this really isn't a love story, I just needed a way to introduce Scarclan, and get Brookepaw into 'a pickle', if you know what I mean. Two, I've created up to chapter... 14, I think. I just haven't uploaded them yet. Remember though, this is not a love story.


	5. Chapter 5: Woodmouse

**Chapter 4**

"Brookepaw, wake up! Foxstar is back!"

I opened my eyes. My brother, Acornpaw, was the cat that spoke.

"Really?" I got up and stretched. Suddenly a sharp pain in my shoulder made me recoil. "Ouch!" I gingerly stepped forward. I followed Acornpaw to the meeting branches. That was where the clan sat when a clan meeting was called. Since the camp was made of interwoven branches from high in the trees, there wasn't an actual floor of the camp. All the dens were either in tree trunks or on branches.

"Starclan has granted me the nine lives of a leader. I promise to lead my clan as best I can. I will now appoint my new deputy. I, Foxstar, leader of Forestclan, say these words in front of Starclan. Birdleg will be the new deputy of Forestclan!"

I gasped._ Why Birdleg? She's practically an elder!_

Birdleg leaped onto a thick, sturdy branch with many claw marks on it. The branch is called the deputy branch. When clan meetings are called, that's where the deputy perches. Unless, of course, their leader wants them to sit elsewhere.

"Now, Branchpaw lost his mentor, Kinkpelt, in the battle. We will miss her skills. Branchpaw needs a new mentor. Birchspot, you will be Branchpaw's new mentor. Teach him well." Foxstar finished.

Birchspot and Branchpaw touched noses.

"Brookepaw, we're going hunting with Thunderfoot and Acornpaw. Come on." Silvertail padded toward my brother and his mentor. I followed, leaping down from a branch onto another.

"Where should we hunt? How about the pine tree forest?" Thunderfoot mewed.

"No, too prickly. We don't want to open our wounds with them." Silvertail padded to the edge of the branch.

"Why don't we go to the stream and try hunting in the trees there? It's so hot, there's bound to be some birds lurking in trees, waiting for water." I suggested. The others nodded.

"Ok. Follow me." Thunderfoot sped through the trees.

I lurched forward. I jumped onto an Oak, then a Birch. I followed Acornpaw's tail, whisking above and below branches of every kind. My claws dug into the soft bark of an old Willow tree. Acornpaw stopped. I looked around him and saw Silvertail hanging from a tough looking Blossom tree. Thunderfoot was trying to reach her. I looked at Silvertail's paws and realized she was hanging on to the tree with only three claws.

_The rest must have been ripped out during the battle with Scarclan! _I thought. _Someone catch her!_

"Silvertail!" I yowled as her paws slipped and she fell several fox- lengths to the ground. I scurried to the trunk of my tree and scrambled down it. "Silvertail!"

Silvertail's mouth was trickling blood. Her claws were gushing blood, having the rest of her claws ripped out. Her eyes were glazed over. Thunderfoot and Acornpaw arrived and sat next to me.

"Silvertail..." I mewed.

Thunderfoot gripped Silvertail's scruff. "C'mon. Let's get back to camp."

I sat there, staring into nothingness. Pain gripped my heart. Grief washed over me. _Silvertail... y-you can't be dead. You survived the battle against Scarclan._

"Silvertail's gone, Brookepaw. We can't do anything." Acornpaw whispered in my ear.

"Sh-she survived Scarclan just to be killed by a stupid b-branch!" Anger surged through me now. Tears streamed down my fur. Before I knew it, I was flying through the trees back to camp. Just before I burst into the edge of camp, I heard a yowl. I stopped and turned around. Mallowstem was grasping toward me. I waited for her. She turned her blind eyes on me.

"Brookepaw- I heard what happened from Acornpaw and Thunderfoot. Don't be angry. It was Silvertail's destiny. Long ago, when I only just got my full medicine cat name, I had a dream. I knew it was about Silvertail. I saw her at the bottom of a blossom tree. She was there with three other cats. One I recognized as Thunderfoot. The other two, well, I didn't know at all. When you were born, I recognized you and Acornpaw were from my vision.

"Back to my dream. As I watched, I started falling. I looked down and noticed I wasn't in my body, but Silvertail's. I looked farther down and saw the ground rapidly rising to me. I looked up and saw a Blossom tree above me. Then, I slammed into the ground. Pain beyond anything surged through me. I heard one thing-_'Silvertail!' _It was your voice. Then I woke up." Mallowstem was still staring at me. Even though she was blind, I had an irking sensation that she could see me.

"Why did Starclan make her die? What did Silvertail do?" The words gushed out before I could stop them.

"Silvertail did nothing. Starclan made this happen for a reason." Mallowstem whispered. "Now, come with me. I'll give you some Shockweed."

I followed her into her den, which was in a tree trunk.

"Has the clan been told about Silvertail?" I mumbled.

"Yes. Thunderfoot and Acornpaw arrived not long before you did." She answered, digging through her herb storage. "Goldenleaf... Waternettles... ah, Shockweed." Mallowstem pulled out a jumble of vines. She carefully stripped some leaves off and set them down in front of me. "Eat up" she meowed.

I leaned down and chewed up the leaves. They tasted foul.

"Brookepaw, I would also like you to eat these." Mallowstem pushed some seeds in front of me. "They are called Sleepseeds. The purpose is to, well, make you fall asleep."

"But... I want you to sit vigil for Silvertail!" I mewed indignantly.

"You can. I'll wake you so you can. Now, eat some prey and then eat those seeds."

For the first time that day, I realized I was starving. I padded along a branch to the trunk of a Birch. The trunk was hollow. Inside were a few feeble pieces of prey. There was a magpie, a tree squirrel, and, surprisingly, a wood mouse, missing a tail.

_Why is there a mouse? Mice don't live in trees. Forestclan only hunts in trees, unless there isn't enough tree prey. _I thought._ It's the middle of Greenleaf! We don't need ground prey._

"Brookepaw, I'm sorry about Silvertail. She was so young." Foxstar's voice came from behind me. I turned around. "I'll make sure you have a good mentor." He sighed.

"Foxstar, can I ask you something?" I looked at him.

"What is it, Brookepaw?" He stared back at me.

"Why do we have a mouse in our fresh-kill pile?" I beckoned to the tail-less Wood Mouse.

"Oh, that? A Dawnclan apprentice gave that to me after the battle. He said Scarletstar wanted us to have it, for a thank you."

"Really? What did he look like?" I had a bad feeling about the apprentice.

"Let's see, he was bright red, scarlet really, with dim yellow eyes. He had a nasty cut on his forehead. Why do you ask?" He looked at me quizzically.

"That wasn't a Dawnclan apprentice. That was a Scarclan apprentice! I saw Silvertail grappling with him during the battle!" I meowed hurriedly. "But why did he give it to you?"

Foxstar took the news well. He thought for a while. "I don't know. I want you to get Mallowstem and Spottpaw."

I did as he told me. When I arrived at the herb-smelling hollow, I mewed my arrival. "It's me, Brookepaw. Can I come in?"

A voice meowed a reply. "Yes, come in."

I entered the crowded hollow. I walked towards Mallowstem, who was putting some fresh Goldenleaf on Brackentooth's shoulder wound.

"Er-Mallowstem, Foxstar would like to speak with you and Spottpaw as soon as he can. He's waiting at the fresh-kill pile." I stammered, and then sat down.

"Ok, we'll be there in a moment. Spottpaw! Foxstar wants to speak to us. Go with Brookepaw." Mallowstem finished applying the Goldenleaf to Brackentooth's wound.

Spottpaw appeared outside the hollow. I realized she must have been tending to the other injured cats outside the hollow. I got up and met Spottpaw.

"So what's this about Foxstar?" She asked me.

"He, uh, wants to talk to you." I said.

Spottpaw followed me to the fresh-kill pile, Mallowstem not far behind.

"Spottpaw, Mallowstem." Foxstar nodded to them in turn. "Brookepaw helped me with an important matter that I would like to share, before I have the ceremony of Brookepaw's."

I knew what ceremony he was talking about. He meant the one where he would announce the death of Silvertail, and assign me a new mentor.

"What would this important matter be?" Mallowstem looked expectantly at Foxstar.

Foxstar launched into the story of the wood mouse.

"What did you need us for?" Mallowstem's blind eyes pointed to Foxnose, and then switched to me.

"I was wondering if you could figure out if there was something in the mouse. Why else would a Scarclan cat give a mouse to me?" Foxnose looked surprised that she didn't know what to do.

"Of course. Though we should get rid of the rest of the prey in there." Mallowstem picked up a twig in her mouth and pushed one side into the wood mouse. A foul purple-looking liquid oozed out of the tail end and where the stick entered the mouse's body, splattering the other pieces of prey.

"Yuck!" I retreated several steps to get away from the purple stuff.

Foxstar turned to me. "Brookepaw, I am going to have your mentoring ceremony in a moment. Why don't you try to clean up a little?"

I looked down. My white and brown fur was ruffled and dirty, filled with pieces of bark, leaves, and a little bit of dried blood. I bent down to groom my fur.

"Spottpaw, will you help me get rid of this prey?" Foxstar meowed.

"Of course." She picked up a stick.

Suddenly, Lightningfoot's panicked mew echoed through the camp. "Mallowstem! Mallowstem! Blackkit isn't breathing!"

Mallowstem ran into the medicine hollow and came out with a bundle of leaves in her mouth, and then hurried to the nursery, with Spottpaw racing after.

I approached cautiously. I heard Mallowstem giving orders. Mallowstem told Spottpaw to do something that I didn't catch. Spottpaw got busy. She then asked Lightningfoot some questions. I entered quietly.

"Was Blackkit acting strangely, like he was hiding something?" Mallowstem pressed.

"No." Lightningfoot said in a shaking voice.

"Did he eat anything recently?" Mallowstem asked kindly.

"Yes. Just earlier. I caught him chewing a mouse-tail. I thought he had stashed it this morning, and was coming back to eat it then. I swatted the mouse-tail onto the ground. Why?" She looked at me. "What happened to him?"

I had a frightened look on my face. I cleared my throat. "I- I noticed the mouse," I looked at Mallowstem to make sure she understood that I was talking about the poisoned one. "Had no tail. I th- think Blackkit might have been eating it."

Mallowstem gasped. "Oh no! That mouse had Deathberry juice in it! It turned the meat of the mouse purple, and made it fall apart." She added, more to me. She looked at Blackkit, who was now breathing feebly, thanks to Spottpaw. "Lightningfoot, Blackkit may not survive through the night. Just three Deathberries are capable of taking a leader's nine lives at once!"

Lightningfoot started sobbing. "Blackkit! Oh, Blackkit! You'll be alright!"

Blackkit coughed. His paws moved slightly. Then he opened his eyes. "Lightningfoot? What happened? I feel like I was run over by monster!" The five-moon old kit's voice was hoarse. I could tell it was with great difficulty for him to even open his eyes.

"Hush, Blackkit. Rest." Lightningfoot nuzzled Blackkit's fur.

"No, let him be awake. I'd like to ask him some things." Mallowstem said soothingly.

Foxstar's voice came from outside the den. "Let all cats under the name of Forestclan join to hear my words!"

"I have to go!" I mumbled, and ran outside the hollow tree into the crisp dusk air.

_When did it become night?_ I wondered as I settled on one of the apprentice branches.

"Brookepaw has lost her mentor, brave Silvertail. We joined here tonight to pay respects for Silvertail, and for Brookepaw to receive a new mentor." Foxstar stopped for a moment. "We gather under Silverpelt tonight. Now, I say these words for Silvertail to hear. Lizardfall will be Brookepaw's mentor!"

_Lizardfall! He's only three moons older than me!_


	6. Chapter 6: Stormpaw

**Chapter 5**

_He became a warrior just one moon ago! _I raged.

"Well, well, Brookepaw! Never thought we'd be in this position, did you?" Lizardfall gloated.

"Yeah well, you certainly seem to have grown since you became a warrior." I lashed back.

"Yeah, it seems I have."

I burst out laughing. He didn't seem to understand what I meant.

"What?" he said defensively

"I meant you have a bigger mouth."

"You shouldn't talk to a warrior like that!"

"What warrior? I only see an overgrown kit!"

Lizardfall let out a low growl. "I'll let you know that I'm three moons older than you!"

"I think that's enough, you two!" Birdleg yowled.

I whipped around. Birdleg was standing there looking very cross.

"M-mother! I didn't see you there!" Lizardfall regained his voice first.

"Lizardfall, Brookepaw, I would expect better of you. Lizardfall, you're a warrior, for goodness sake! And Brookepaw! You have only two moons of training left! Brookepaw, I want you to hunt for the clan for a while. Lizardfall, I think a few sunrises of apprentice duties will teach you what being a warrior is about." Birdleg fumed.

"You can't tell me what to do! I'm a warrior!" Lizardfall protested.

"Yes, but I'm the deputy. You will both start tomorrow. I will let the clan know."

"Yes, Birdleg." I muttered under my breath.

"Now, get to sleep, both of you!"

I hurried to my nest, tail between my legs like a dog. Then I remembered that I agreed to meet Stormpaw. I looked at the sky. It was nearly midnight! I crept out of my nest, as quietly as I would when I was stalking a bluebird. I slowly jumped from branch to branch, heading to where Stormpaw was waiting.

As soon as I arrived at the clearing, I heard Stormpaw call out. I headed towards him. He had a bloodstained gash along his flank.

"Why didn't you get your wound dressed?" I exclaimed.

"I just didn't. I was beginning to think you weren't coming." He meowed.

"I... had a dilemma." I whispered.

"What do you want to do? What if we were to play Hunt-Them?"

"Hunt-Them? What's that?"

Stormpaw looked taken aback. "You don't know how to play Hunt-Them?! I thought every cat did!"

"Not my clan. How do you play?"

Stormpaw cleared his throat. "Well, some cats go hide in the underbrush. Anywhere in the territory, really. Then some other cats go find them. The Hunters, that's the cats who are finding, go around hunting the hiders, or Them. If the Hunters see a Them, the Hunters attack. The Hunters use the Throat-tear or the Fatal-lunge. If-" Stormpaw stopped short. I was looking at him with an astonished expression. "What?" He meowed.

"You'd kill a cat? And one of your own clan?" I shrieked.

"Y-yeah. That's how y-you play Hunt-Them. Doesn't every clan do that?" He asked uncertainly.

"No! To kill a cat is..." I groped for a word. "Unjust! Unheard of! It'd get you a place in for good the Dark Forest for when you died in the time you can say 'dead!'"

"Huh? I was taught by my mentor Tigertail that if you kill, you would live forever, in eternal glory. My mother told me when I was just a tiny kit that if I wanted to be a true cat, I would need to murder."

I gaped at him. I was lost for words. Killing a cat! Suddenly, a voice called from the shadows of the clearing.

"Stormpaw! We know you're here! We heard you talking to someone!" The meow was echoed by several other voices.

My blood ran cold. Those were voices of Scarclan apprentices!

Stormpaw looked at me. "My clanmates - the apprentices, I mean - have surrounded the clearing. I can hear their breathing. There may be only five, but they can kill you, even with me by your side. You need to act like a... what do you call them? A rough! Act like one of my clan. It will be the only way for you to survive!"

"I-I need to act like one of your clanmates?" I whispered.

"Yes! I can't lose you!" He muttered. "Just act as... evil? as them. Not like you come from Scarclan, they'll know at first sight."

"Ok. But don't they know that I'm from Forrestclan?"

"Not if you take off your cobwebs. They'll look like old wounds or scars."

I gulped. "Ok." I reached up and clawed the cobwebs from my ears. A few drops of fresh blood dripped down my face. Stormpaw helped me un wrap all the cobwebs from my wounds. We went as fast as we could. Finally, the cobweb was gone.

"We're coming into the clearing!" A Scarclan apprentice yowled.

Five dark shapes made their way into the clearing. They came from all sides, even though there were, again, five.

"Who're you?"A yellow-eyed scarlet tom thrust his face in front of mine.

"I am Wildfire." My voice shook.

"Oh, yeah? Where do you come from?" Another apprentice growled. She was whitish-yellow with hazel eyes.

"I come from far away. I fought a fox when I was only three moons old, and I won when many others had failed." I replied, coming up with it as I went.

To my relief, the apprentices seemed to accept this. Except one. He was brown with red eyes. He watched me with narrowed eyes.

"Why did you come here? And why were you with him?" The brown apprentice flicked his tail at Stormpaw.

"I simply wandered here. I heard stories of cats here, and I wanted to know who they were. As for being with him," I beckoned to Stormpaw. "I met him some sunrises ago. I ambushed him. He persuaded me to let him go, and he started to tell me about your clan, Scarclan. I have met him every night I can. Though, I don't think your clan would be fit for me. Too mild. You have the hearts of kittypets!" I snarled back at the brown apprentice.

The apprentices hissed at me, all except for Stormpaw and the brown tom. Stormpaw shot me a warning look.

"We'll see about that. Scarclan, attack!" The brown apprentice lunged at me, followed by the other apprentices. Stormpaw looked horrified.

The brown apprentice, who I suddenly recognized as Lizardpaw, swiped at my ears. I ducked, and bit his hind leg, hard. Lizardpaw yowled and fell to the ground, blood spurting out of his wound.

I turned and met a black she-cat, who I knew to be Deeppaw. She raked her claws into my shoulder, making blood stream down my foreleg. I lurched backward and sunk my claws into her stomach, gouging deep lines into her black fur. Not caring that Deeppaw was still standing, I flung around.

This time I was eye to eye with a scarlet tom with a deep gash in his forehead - Caimanpaw. I lunged at his throat, not caring if I killed him. I was fighting for my life; I reminded myself that the Warrior Code permits a warrior to kill if it is to protect their own life, which this was. Blood dribbled out of his throat. He crumpled. I turned again.

The yellow-white she cat was waiting for me. "I think you'll find that Fangpaw is much harder to beat than she looks!" She yowled.

I lashed blindly at her. As my claws collided with her nose, it split apart. Blood surged out of her nose. She lashed at my throat and got my chest. I jumped onto her, blood spurting out of my new wound. Fangpaw collapsed, too.

I whipped around to find Lizardpaw up again. I lunged at his throat, gouging marks into it. Lizardpaw ignored it and jumped at me. I ducked, and I heard a sickening thud behind me. I turned to find Lizardpaw lying on top of a gray-brown tom. Blood was pouring out of the gray tom's mouth and throat, not to mention Lizardpaw was unconscious. All of the apprentices were either dead or unconscious, except for Stormpaw, who was unharmed.

"How...?" He gasped.

I looked around. "I have no idea. What should we do about them?"

"I think you apprentices should be back to camp, sleeping." A new voice rasped at the end of the clearing.

Stormpaw's eyes got big. He turned around. I followed his gaze. Green eyes emerged from the shadows, followed by sleek black fur. The Scarclan cat padded towards us.

"Stormpaw, what is this?" He meowed.

"Snakepelt, how much did you hear?" Stormpaw's voice wavered.

"All of it. I must say, I like your style."He looked at me. "You look familiar. Do I know you?"

"No. Well, you might. Two sunrises ago I heard fighting, so I went to investigate. I saw a massacre of cats. So, I joined in. I didn't care who I came to. I killed all." I stared into Snakepelt's eyes. What I saw there was terrible. I saw pure evil deep into his eyes. I saw blood, and murder. I shivered.

"I must say, I'm impressed in your fighting. Join Scarclan." He stared at me, and I was lost in a swirling image of death. I saw blood everywhere. Cats I knew were lying limp on the ground. Scarclan cats were tearing at skin.

"Well?" Snakepelt growled.

"I'll join Scarclan." I meowed, hoping my voice wasn't shaking with the horrible image I just saw.

Snakepelt smiled. "Follow me, you two."

I trudged through the forest, trying to think of a way out of this.


End file.
